Senate Pressurized From South African Trip

THE Senate, Wednesday, stepped down its planned trip to South Africa after scathing criticisms from Nigerians and remarkably, from the House of Representatives, which is set to send a delegation to that country to diagnose that country’s disease of xenophobia.

Though the two chambers adopted the resolution to send delegations to South Africa on the same day, February 27, the House took the shine off the Senate when it named its delegation the same day. The Senate, however, waited until the following day to name its delegation. While many Nigerians were quick to criticise the decision to travel as unnecessary, the Senate sought to send a joint delegation that would have a senator as its head.

The House, always wanting to express independence, objected and in its stead asked the Senate to drop its delegation. Embarrassed, by the subtle blackmail of the country sending two separate delegations, the Senate on Wednesday succumbed and cancelled the trip.